Portable fogging device for insecticides and the like



Oct. 3, 1961 c. L. SPEXARTH PORTABLE FOGGING DEVICE FOR INSECTICIDES ANDTHE LIKE Filed May 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I CHIP/5 7/0 4JPEXHATN BY W m r Mu A rroeA/s v5 C. L. SPEXARTH I Oct. 3, 1961 PORTABLEFOGGING DEVICE FOR INSECTICIDES AND THE LIKE Filed May 20, 1957 2 .w tme a T9 9 NX h E S P W 5 L a M 2 m A rrok/vsvf United States Patent" 9 Eh nk-INSECTICIDES PORTABLEFOGGIN pnv AND HE Christian L. S ra'rth,Miiwaukee wis asstg'n to doqekecreation, inn, Milwaukee, Wisacorporation of Wisconsin Filed May 20, 1957,5121. No.-660,-234

16 Claims. (Clou -109) are adapted to providethd valve-seatwhiehisopened;

controlled and regulated by a needlevalv'e3whieh forrris' a permanentpar-t of the deviceyand whiclris used, to e'fiect' the perforation: ofthe? can.

Another major feature ofithe devico is the arranges meat; whereby dropsof the liquid tobe ai'ew delivered by gravity or'ito an electric/iheating?v eieinent inthe same housing with a fan and desirablydisposedin -a well in which it is protected from the direct blast of-ethe fanwhich diffuses the vapor: As vapOr "-is for-med, it rises from thechannel into the air blast set in -ifiotion by the fan; I

The fan and the motorwhichdrives it aiidtheiehannel with its containedheating element are arranged i'nseries in a tubularhousi'ngi which-has a'handleand- 'niay also have a mountingv stake" tdbedriVGn -intotho'ground. The 'I 'hehousing has a large; open nozzla zaiflit sdisehdrgeiend andalouvered: inlet adjacent the'fani V The handle is desirablymounted: oii the of a can clamp; whereof the' loweripartf *fixed te thehousing. From the lower part; the' tube leads intothe channel in whichthe" heating' 'el'ernc'nt" is disposed.- The two parts of the clamp areinrdetaehable connection" and they are providedwithelasticallyideform'able liniiagfnieans' which contacts the can.

The top part of the clamp is provided with -afiserew threaded fittingcounterbored to provide" a seat foh paeli ing: Extendingithrough thisfitting is a needle valve having. a long tapered pointat' its'lovVer endand a shortlength of screw threads at its upper'end thddowel beinggrooved or: otherwiseflattened throug'li the'thrtaded per: tion" toprovide for an air vent which zitFb se'a i ed when the head at -the'upper end ofithe'vflveicoiitaets the O ring' packing in the counterborelIt is important that the -length of steinbelbw" the threads be such thatthe perforation' i-ir the t'op 'ofthe eanca'nbe made by using" thevalvenas a' punch for axial movement through the fitting without regardto rotation on its' threads. At the sametime, the l'ehgth ofi thevalveis such that the valve must be -rotated omits-threadsto perforate thebottom of thecan'; The slowste'adya xia-l pressure developed inthe=threaded-rotati6n'ofitlievalve through the fittin prodiices a smoothvalve seat n t'l ie bottom of the laterall'y'dispos'ed can {6 and{rem-which the valve may lie-moved for r'e'giiltienof newer totalinterruptionjthereof. y V g i In referring to the'hoi'isii'fghfstubular;itchy-iced notintended" to restrict-- tneinvention' t'o it liaising: ercircular cross section.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view'iri perspective ofn 1 ing. the invention. I

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the devicepartially in axialsectionand. partially in side/elevation, and illustrating the optionally.available moimting peg.

Patented Oct. 3, 1961 2. FIG: 3 is a further-enlarged detail view takeninv (ii-05s section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,. FIG. 4 is'a viewsimilarto FIG; 3 showing arts; in the; course of manipulation to achieve canperforation.

FIG. 5 is a: view similar to FIG, 4 showing another stepin the processof can perforation. I

FIG.- 6 is a fragmentary detail view partiallyiin' enijl" elevation andpartially in the same section as FIG. showing the air vent sealedv andalso showing a modified embodiment ofv the invention;

The device comprises an elongated tubular 10 having a somewhatrestricted discharge nozzlewhiohvnever theless provides an opening ofsubstantial size throughwhich the vaporized material and blast oientraining; airare delivered. At the end opposite the.

nozzle 11,; thehousing; is provided with a closu re 12; inlet-beingprovided by louvres 13in order to protect users'f-rom possible-r contactwith the fan 15 which: mounted directly on the armature shaft of motor16 to constitute means for; creating the air blast.- 'Ifhe motor ismountedon--legs 17 screwed. to the bottom of housing-10: Similarlymounted omthe bottom of housing 10 tween-. the motor and. thenozzle 11is a vaporizing means comprising; an elongated shallow trough 19 intowhich heating". element 20 extends through one end Switches 9' and 90,;whichare eiiter-na-lly. exposed as showfi in FIG. 1, are provided withoperative connections fi oj shown) to the fan motor and the heatingelement The wallsoiithe-trough 19' rise substantiallyabove theheating-elementto receive and confine the insectie-ideog otheeliquid tobe vaporized as delivered into theitroufl throughthetube 22; I W

On-togiof-the tubulanhousing 10 is means for detach? ably clamping tothe-housing a can or container QI- liquid to be vaporized. The clamping.means inchides. abottorn clamp;23 of semi-circulancross section o. whichthe. tube-'22 is-connected by solder or otherwise. The tube; 22 servesas a means for guidingliquid fromthe externalcontaineg (such--asean-40)into the wellprovided bytrough 19.- The tube is" of suflicient, diameterso plenty pf clearance is providedfor the needlevalve, and i-t iis of.-sutfieient-length to extend well below the top og the'trough 19 in whichthe heating element 20*is dispos edt The-clamp. member 23 can beconnected with the housing by sheet metalsorews 24 or otherwise (FIG.2,). It'is provided with' laterallyprojecting-flanges at 25 in whichthe-clamping screws-26 are threaded'as shown in FIG A -liningg 27 ofnatural orsynthetic rubber is desirablyprov-idedwithin the clampingmember 23. This'lini-ng desirably has alarge opening; at; 28'-registeringwith the tube 22.

Cooperating with the clamping; member 23 is--a-,;re-

movable cl-ampi gsmemberfitl having outwardly projecting flanges at 31overlying the flanges 25 and-desirably downwardly turned-at 32 toconceaL-thegapbetweerutheae clampingsflanges. The-clamp: screws 26 havehead tions33 seating on flanges 3 1- to exert-clampingpressurg in a;downward direction; thereby constituting meansi for drawing'cclampmembers -30 and-23 together for cloth?- ing the can to the -housing Likethe clampingmember 23'!- the removable clamp30' is desirably providedwitirya 1ining '34 having an apert'ure below thescrew-thre'atkd fitting-35'.- Thie fittingmay bemounted by means of clamp nut 36 upon anupwardly channeled-portiomM of the uppenclamp member 30*;as shownin-FIG;- 3. Alternatiyely; the-clarnp member- 300 shown in FIG.- 6. maymountthe -fitting-SS on its sen i cylindrical upper; face providedthccan engagedwithin the clamp members FIG. 7 "a hag' mentarydetail viewtaken on t'l ie 23 and 30 has a recess in it as shown in FIG. 6. In theFIG. 3 construction, the channel 37 carries the fitting 35 at such anelevation that an ordinary cylindrical can 40 can be clamped between themembers 23 and 30 and embraced by the lining segments 27 and '34.

A needle valve 45 is provided which comprises a long tapered point at46, an elongated valve stem 47, and a threaded shank portion 48 which isslightly larger than the stem and is flattened or otherwise relieved at-49 past its enlarged threaded shank portion to provide clearancethrough which air can reach the can 40 when the device is in use. At theupper end of fitting 35 there is a counterbore 5B in which an O-ringpacking 51 is provided to project slightly above the fitting forengagement with the knurled head,53 at the upper end of the shank 48.FIG. 6 shows the headseated on the packing 51 to plose the air vent andmake the device leakproof when the needle valve isclosed in the mannerhereinafter described. v v

. As a means of supplying to the vaporizer drops or other appropriatequantities of liquid to be vaporized, the operator removes the uppersection 39 of the clamp and places an ordinary can 40 containingvaporizable liquid such as insecticide 54 upon. the liner 27 of thelower clamp element 23. With the needle valve wholly or largelyretracted, the upper clamp member 30 is then placed upon thehorizontally arranged can as shown in FIG. 4 and the upper clamp member30' is tightened on the can by means of the screws 26.

j The needle valve is then pushed manually through the threads of thefitting 35 to cause the needle point 46 to penetrate the top of the can.The reduced diameter of the valve stem and valve permit the valve to bemanipudated axially through the fitting without injury to the threads ofthe fitting.

After the valvepoint 46 has been forced through the can 40, itsdownward'motion is continueduntil the threads of its shank 48 mesh withthethreads of fitting 35. Desirably this should occur before the needlepoint :46 reaches a lower side of the can wall. It will be observed inFIG. 5 that the penetration of the lower side of the can by point 46 hasbeen achieved following a substantial threaded movement of shank 48through fitting 35. However, atthe time the penetration of the can wallis commenced, the head 53 is still well above the O-ring seal. Thedimensions of the parts are such that the head should reach the O-ringseal well before .the conically tapered needle point 46 has passedthrough the lower wall portion of can 40, the correct proportions vbeing well illustrated in FIG. 3.

'It will be found that where the needle valve is simply used as a punchand driven through the can to make the opening in the upper wall portionthereof, the metal of the can will be curved inwardly in the mannershown at 55, and in somewhat jagged fashion, there being no very tightfit between the needle valve and the can at this point. However, whenthe needle point penetrates the lower wall portion of the horizontal canunder/the "relatively smooth and axially guided thrust which isdeveloped by the rotation of the threaded shank of the valve in thethreaded fitting 35, a rather smooth conical seat will be formed in thecan as shown at 56 in FIG. 3, and this seat will be sufliciently tightwhen engaged by the needle point 46 to hold the contents of the cansecurely against dripping. Thus, when the valve is screwed clown tightlyto engage its head 53 with the packing 51, thereby closing the air vent49, the tapered point 46 will also engage to seal the seat 56 which ithas formed in the can. 7 With the valve backed ofi slightly as shown inFIG. 3. the can will be vented to receive atmospheric pressure, and thepoint 46 will clear the seat 56 suificiently so that drops 57 will fallat intervals from the can to'pass through the shielding tube 22 whichprotects them from the blast of fan and causes them to be delivered intocontact with the sheath 5% of the heating element in trough 19. As theliquid is vaporized, the vapor expands out of trough 19 and is picked upin the slip stream. of fan 15, and the pneumatic current in which thevapor is entrained is discharged from the nozzle 11. In normal. use forthe intended insecticidal purpose, the vapor condenses followingdischarge to form a fog. The condensed droplets comprising the fogadhere to any surface contactedand will ordinarily wet and spread uponsuch a surface to provide efiective insecticidal control.

The upwardly formed channel 37 of the clamping device is used only inthe event that special cans 400 are not available. In the preferredpractice of the invention, clearance for the fitting 35 is provided byforming a special channel 370 in the can itself as shown in FIG. 6, theopening 55 being forced into the can by penetration of the bottom wall59 of the channel 370. Otherwise the FIG. 6 construction may beidentical with that already described.

- For convenience of manipulation, a carrying handle 60 is desirablymounted on the upper clamping element 30 and extends rearwardlytherefrom to overhang the center of gravity of the device. In addition,I may replace one of the screws 61 which anchors the vaporizing trough19 by a screw 62 projecting from the upper end of'a sharpened peg 63adapted to bedriven into the earth to provide fixed support for thedevice during its operation in a given area. Optionally the springdetent 64 is used to engage the knurl'ed handle 53 of the valve to fixit in'any position to which it may be adjusted.

Iclaim:

1. A fogging device comprising the combination with anelongatedhousing'internally provided with a motor drivenfan andhaving anair inlet and a vapor discharge port, of vaporizing means in the housingbetween the inlet and discharge port in the path of air set in motion bythe fan, and discharged through said port, means including a supplyreservoir having a discharge opening communicating with said vaporizingmeans for supplying to the vaporizing means a liquid to be vaporized.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the liquid supplying means includes areplaceable can mounted externally on the housing, clamping means forconnecting the can to the housing, a valve fitting mounted on theclamping means and a valve in threaded connection with the fitting andextending through the can, the can providing a seat for said valve inregistry with'said tube.

3. In a fogging device, the combination with a can clamp, of ascrew-threaded valve fitting mounted thereon at one's'ide of theposition of a can engaged in the clamp, and a valve of sufiicient lengthto span the can and comprising a needle point at its end, a stemextending from thepoint for nearly the diameter of the can, a threadedshank in screw-threaded connection with the fitting and a handleconnected with the shank externally of the fitting, the threaded shankexceeding the stem in diameter, whereby the stem may be passed freelythrough the fitting to enable the valve to be used as a punch for theperforation of the can at the side contiguous to the fitting, the valvebeingof such length that its pointed end will penetrate the oppositeside of the can as the shank is screwed into the fitting, whereby toform the opposite side of the can as a seat to and from which the valveis movable in the rotation of its shank in said fitting.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the fitting is provided with acounterbore having annular packing, the valve handle comprising apressure head engageable with the packing to provide a seal in theposition of the valve in which the valve is engaged with said seat, theshank of the valve being relieved where it passes the fitting to providean air vent sealed by engagement of said head with said packing.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the packing comprises an O-ring. v

6. The device of claim 4 in which the can clamping means has adeformable lining engaging the can about the seat and provided with anopening with which the seat communicates.

7. The device of claim 6 in further combination with a guide tubeextending away from the can from said opening and adapted to protectdrops of liquid issuing from said can subject to the control of saidvalve.

8. The device of claim 7 in further combination with a tubular housingupon which the can clamping means is mounted and across which saidtubular guide means at least partially extends, the said housing beingprovided with a heating element constituting means for vaporizing dropsof liquid delivered by said guide means, fan means for creating an airblast throughsaid housing and across said vaporizing means forentraining the vaporized liquid, and bafile means about said vaporizingmeans and into which the tubular guide means extends, the guide meansand baffie'means protecting drops of said liquid from the air blastuntil vaporized.

9. The combination with a can clamp comprising a pair of members adaptedto engage opposing sides of a can, means for drawing said memberstogether into can engagement, one of said members being provided with ascrew-threaded fitting for a valve, a valve comprising a taperedpointand stem freely receivable through said fitting, said valve havinga threaded shank portion of larger diameter than the stem and adaptedfor threaded engagement with the fitting, the valve point being adaptedto pass freely through the fitting and to be punched through a canembraced by the clamping means, and the length of said stern beingsuchthat the point of the valve will not reach across the can to theopposite side of the can before the threaded shank reaches threadedengagement with said fitting, said point being adapted to penetrate thefar side of the can as the shank is screwed into the fitting, whereby toproduce an opening in the can conically tapered and with smooth walls asthe point of the valve penetrates the can, said walls constituting aseat to and from which the valve is movable in the rotation of thethreaded shank in the fitting.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the clamping means has deformablelining means engaging the can about the valve shank and seat.

11. The device of claim 9 in which the clamping means has an olfsetportion in which the fitting is mounted.

12. The device of claim 9 in which the fitting extends inwardly from theclamping means, the can being channeled to receive the fitting andhaving a wall portion at the bottom of the channel through which thepoint of the valve is driven.

13. The combination with a can having an inwardly indented wall, of acan clamp including opposing clamp members, one of which spans theindention in the wall, a screw-threaded fitting mounted on the lastmentioned clamping means and extending into the indention of the can anda valve havig a screw-threaded shank portion in i threaded connectionwith the fitting, said valve further having a stem extending through theindented wall of the can and across the interior of the can andterminating in a sharp needle valve projecitng beyond the wall of thecan remote from the fitting, said needle valve being so disposed as tohave been forced through said remote wall in the course of threadedmovement of the shank through the fitting, the said remote can wallbeing outwardly deformed by the needle valve in the course of suchmovement to provide a seat to and from which the needle valve is movablein the threaded adjustment of the shank respecting the fitting.

14. The combination with an elongated housing internally provided with afan and a vaporizing well having a heating element therein and having. aliquid-retaining bottom, the housing having an air inlet and an airoutlet between which the well and fan are located in series, and meansincluding a supply reservoir and a valve-controlled conduit leadingtherefrom toward said well for delivering a vaporizable liquid into thewell to be vaporized by the heating element, the vapor of the vaporizedliquid being exposed to a current of air through the housing set inmotion by the fan, to be entrained in said current and projected fromsaid outlet.

15. The combination with an elongated housing internally provided with afan and a vaporizing well having a heating element therein and having aliquid-retaining bottom, the housing having an air inlet and an air,outlet between which the well and fan are located in series, and meansincluding "a supply reservoir and a valve-controlled conduit leadingtherefrom toward said well for delivering a vaporizable liquid into thewell to be vaporized by the heating element, the vapor of the vaporizedliquid \being exposed to a current of air through the housing set inmotion by the fan, to be entrained in said current and projected fromsaid outlet, the said reservoir comprising a liquid container disposedexternally of the housing, and said conduit comprising a tube having adischarge end extending into the Well for guiding liquid from saidexternal container to said well and for protecting said liquid fromexposure to said air current prior to its vaporization by heat from saidheating element.

16. The device of claim 15 in which the external container comprises areplaceable can in detachable clamped connection with the housing, theguiding means including a tube extending downwardly from the can intosaid well.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,344,664 Wander June 29, 1920 2,047,973 Lawton July 21, 1936

